PrintXcel

Distributors can prosper by pushing the envelope on mailers. After making a few initial phone calls to inquire about the state of affairs for mailer products within the forms industry today, it was clear that manufacturers have mixed feelings on the issue. Some simply reported such an insignificant sale of mailers—due to too much competition and changing technology—that they preferred to not report on them at all. But, others have found a way to prosper via the mailer. The prospering is true, despite the drastic decline of installed impact printers over the past several years, which has significantly reduced demand for continuous custom products—namely

Mirroring the national economy, the industry enjoyed mild improvement this year. The printed products industry got another shake-up this year with the acquisition of Crabar/GBF by Ennis, jumping total sales for Ennis to more than $328 million. But, that was not enough to hold on to the top spot. The former PrintXcel brands, now called Quality Park, reported total sales of $414 million to take over the No. 1 position. Overall sales for the Top 100 Suppliers of more than $2.83 billion were slightly higher than last year's total of $2.78 billion. This total was comprised of $1.09 billion in forms (38.4 percent), $600 million in

Discount Labels, New Albany, Ind., a Quality Park brand, recently was awarded the Supplier of the Year Award from Cleveland-based Proforma, a 12-year customer of Discount Labels, during the 2004 Annual Proforma Convention in Chicago. For the third consecutive year, Discount Labels earned the award that recognizes superior service and quality, consistent pricing and collaborative efforts. Mike Vejar, vice president of marketing for Quality Park and Discount Labels, and who manages the national account for Proforma, accepted the award on behalf of Discount Labels. Quality Park is the brand under which Discount Labels, Dealer Label, Lancer Label, PrintXcel and Wisco Envelopes operate. It

PrintXcel, a Quality Park Brand based in Englewood, Colo., recently installed RDM Image Qualifiers in all of its facilities that produce business forms and checks. Currently the only equipment that conforms to the current ANSI X9.7 standards on check backgrounds, these image qualifiers will enable PrintXcel to ensure that check documents meet the requirements of the Check 21 legislation, effective October 28, 2004. The company's ability to design and test check documents for image compliance benefits both distributors and end-users who have questions about this new technology and legislation. "With access to this equipment in all of our facilities, our distributors will

Customized, value-added traditional products remain popular and profitable. Continuous forms, unit sets, checks—not very exciting, are they? But, these traditional products—distributors' bread and butter a few decades back—have plenty of profitable life in them yet despite falling sales, said manufacturers. "Sales may be flat to steady for traditional forms, but we notice sales overall are up," said Deanna Day, brand manager for forms products at PrintXcel, Fairhope, Ala. This is due to a changing product mix, Day said. "Since 1995, we've seen a 15 percent shift from basic traditional products to specialty and value-added," she noted. Becky Douthat, vice president of National Business Forms,

Manufacturers discuss emerging markets and value-added applications. Spurred by the introduction of laser printers in the 1980s, laser labels continue to be a profitable product for distributors, with new applications and processes spawned regularly to meet end-users' demands. "Lasers are pretty hot right now," noted Melinda Fulton, marketing manager at Continental Datalabel, Elgin, Ill. As pin-fed labels have faded from their former preeminence, laser and thermal labels have taken over. Mike Evans, marketing service manager for Lancer Label, Omaha, Neb., a PrintXcel company, said that he has seen steady growth in stock laser label sales over the past three years. John Strecker, vice

PrintXcel's plant in Visalia, California is back to full manufacturing operations after a December 9th incident that resulted in two deaths and a minor fire that occurred when an armed former employee entered the facility. The gunman and Jose Manriquez II, who was employed at the Visalia plant, were both killed. The fire that was started by the gunman caused smoke and water damage at the plant. Due to the team work of the plant's staff and management team, the Visalia plant has returned to a safe operational facility and has experienced minimal delays in order status. A fund for the Manriquez family has been established.

PrintXcel, Englewood, Colo., has recently purchased the Hunkeler Variweb finishing machine to use at its Toledo facility. This new equipment has many advantages, including greater flexibility, short conversion times and quality finished products. The Hunkeler Variweb finishing machine can easily produce an array of business forms products, such as integrated cards, integrated and affixed labels, label/form combinations, integrated magnets and continuous one-piece mailers. It also provides various form and label finishing applications, including hot-melt integrated labels, one-pass ID cards, and u-seal and pressure-seal one-piece mailers. This equipment is perfect for business forms distributors with clients who use membership/ID cards or direct-mail products to market their business.

In April, PrintXcel, Montrose, Ala., launched eMASTERS—an intuitive, online ordering system that can be customized to end-users' varying needs. Designed with distributors in mind, eMASTERS provides a three-way transaction forum that is monitored solely by the distributor. Therefore, end-users never directly interact with manufacturers. eMASTERS creates print-ready, high-resolution art files that can be easily downloaded by print suppliers. It also provides an array of password-protected print management tools, such as order tracking, inventory reports and real-time usage. Each customized Web site displays both customer and distributor logos. Since its inception, 40 distributors have taken advantage of PrintXcel's online print management system. Atlantic Forms is one of those

Quality, service and sound strategic planning put these suppliers on top. Rising from third place in last year's BFL&S Top 100 Manufacturers list, Ennis Business Forms, DeSoto, Texas, has achieved top honors this year. The successful company reported $240.8 million in sales for the latest fiscal year completed. When asked about the company's formula for success, Keith Walters, president and CEO, said that a combination of tried-and-true principles coupled with new ideas and acquisitions have proven to be the winning ticket. "Ennis continues to concentrate on basics, including customer service, cost control and e-commerce developments," Walters said. He also identified the integration of